I’m increasingly struck by the disconnect between organisations aspiring to be an Employer of Choice or Destination Workplace and the experience they sometimes provide candidates during the recruitment process.
The first hurdle isn’t the employee experience.
It’s the candidate experience.
The employee experience begins once someone joins an organisation. But the candidate experience begins much earlier, with the first interaction with a potential employer, and continues throughout the recruitment process to the hiring decision, regardless of the outcome. And it’s often during this process that candidates form their first real impression of an organisation’s culture, values and commitment to its people.
I’ve seen candidates reach what they reasonably believe is a final interview, only to wait weeks for an outcome — sometimes with no communication in the interim whatsoever. There’s a saying in the industry, “A week is a long time in recruitment, especially when you’re the candidate.” While a week may fly by for a busy hiring manager, it can feel like an eternity for a candidate waiting for feedback.
I’ve seen job advertisements that effectively say: “We will only contact candidates who are successful.” Frankly, I find that unacceptable.
Candidates invest significant time and effort in applying for roles. Many will have spent hours researching the organisation, doing their due diligence, responding to key selection criteria, tailoring their resume, preparing for interviews and making themselves available. Surely, the very least they deserve is an acknowledgement, a timely progress update and a notification to advise the outcome, whether their application has been unsuccessful or not.
I’ve also seen candidates go through multiple rounds of interviews, only to be asked essentially the same questions by different interviewers. This suggests a lack of preparation and coordination within the hiring organisation. Beyond wasting the candidate’s time, it raises questions about how well the recruitment process is managed and whether the organisation genuinely values the people it hopes to attract.
We should ask ourselves, what does this say about an organisation? If you want to be an Employer of Choice, start with how you treat the people who don’t get the job.
“Want to be an Employer of Choice? Start with how you treat the people who don’t get the job.”
For many candidates, particularly those between jobs or actively seeking employment, there can also be genuine anxiety about securing their next opportunity.
For others, this process also means taking time away from their current employment or personal commitments.
The least they should receive in return is respectful, timely communication.
You don’t have to offer someone the job.
You don’t even have to provide extensive feedback (although many will appreciate constructive and considered feedback, which helps candidates better target future opportunities).
But you can let them know where they stand.
Of course, recruitment processes can be complex, hiring managers are busy, and delays are sometimes unavoidable. But the issue isn’t necessarily the delay itself. It’s the lack of communication.
If a recruitment process is delayed, tell the candidates. If there are additional interviews, explain why. If a decision is taking longer than anticipated, keep people informed.
Because candidates are also evaluating you.
Every interaction contributes to their perception of your culture, leadership and values.
And those candidates may be:
- future employees;
- future customers;
- future referrers;
- future suppliers;
- or people who will talk to others about their experience with your organisation.
Your employer brand isn’t what your careers page says. It’s what people experience when they interact with you. If you aspire to be a Destination Workplace, perhaps the real test isn’t simply how you treat the person you hire.
It’s how you treat everyone who aspires to work for your organisation.
Slade Executive work closely with hiring organisations to manage the recruitment process, protect their employer brand and ensure candidates are treated with professionalism, respect and care at every stage. If you’re looking to strengthen your recruitment approach and deliver a better candidate experience, I’d welcome a conversation.
Vincent Borg has extensive experience in the health sector, having worked both in private and not-for-profit organisations. His previous roles as General Manager at Healthscope, St. Vincent’s Private Hospital and Epworth Healthcare saw him oversee large, multi-site facilities in the acute and sub-acute services, including greenfield operations. Vincent’s recent operational experience means he is well-connected with industry thought leaders, across all segments of the sector. As such, he has a clear understanding of issues many hospital executives are currently experiencing and the emerging issues impacting health care providers. Read more…